I got to spend a good bit of time with the Ohm 5015s at CAF Saturday morning. The Ohm guys were very kind and got me a Bluetooth connection from my cellphone so I was able to play some familiar stuff from my music library using Plex app.
I have similar Ohm F5 series 3 speakers in my main system at home so I was able to do a pretty good assessment of these versus mine which I have owned since 2008 and are where I spend many hours a week enjoying the music.
The speakers themselves were quite similar sounding, I would probably have difficulty telling them apart in a blind test, depending. I say depending because there are so many other variables at play way more significant than these Ohms in new Ohm F like cabinets and mine in original refurbed ones.
Realize that unlike most any other speaker out there that one might compare these with, these both are highly adjustable. There are 4 3 way level adjustments on the cans that allow you to tweak the sound considerably as desired. In the case of the 5015s you also have external power amp for the subs and that is surely adjustable as well.
The area/room the 5015s were set up in at the show was pretty daunting, on a narrow landing on the second level of a fairly large atrium or foyer with just enough room for a few seats near the speakers.
John Strohbeen confirmed to me that they were adjusted for a not so large room given the close proximity of the seating despite in fact being on the second floor in a large open two level atrium, and set up at a weird angle with no square wall behinf them in order to sound best from the seating location.
Whew! What a scenario! John Strohbeen mentioned no other vendor had ever taken this area at CAF in prior years.
So this was quite a unique setup to say the least. On the plus side, it gave the OHMs a chance to show what they can do uniquely that few others can and that is deliver a firm soundstage from most any location on the second level of the atrium which they did with spades even from the far side of the atrium listening across.
So the 5015s were adjusted down a good bit so as not to overpower the listeners in the close proximity seats. I did not notice much difference in the bass as set up coming from the subs, but I’m sure they could come in handy in some peoples cases at home if needed. I do not use subs with my OHM 5s but I use a 500w/ch amp with them and also have the bass levels toned down a bit in my ~ 20X30 L shaped listening room.
So the subs might be overkill depending. An option would be to start with 5000 drivers and no subs then add a separate sub or two later if really needed.
As with most things, it depends......
Also worth noting my F5s and 5000s are ported whereas I believe the 5015s with subs and original F cabinets are not.
The OHMs ability to deliver a unique and coherent soundstage from most any location in most any room was prominently on display at the show and that is in fact the thing that steered me back to them for my own challenging larger L shaped listening back in 2008.
I have similar Ohm F5 series 3 speakers in my main system at home so I was able to do a pretty good assessment of these versus mine which I have owned since 2008 and are where I spend many hours a week enjoying the music.
The speakers themselves were quite similar sounding, I would probably have difficulty telling them apart in a blind test, depending. I say depending because there are so many other variables at play way more significant than these Ohms in new Ohm F like cabinets and mine in original refurbed ones.
Realize that unlike most any other speaker out there that one might compare these with, these both are highly adjustable. There are 4 3 way level adjustments on the cans that allow you to tweak the sound considerably as desired. In the case of the 5015s you also have external power amp for the subs and that is surely adjustable as well.
The area/room the 5015s were set up in at the show was pretty daunting, on a narrow landing on the second level of a fairly large atrium or foyer with just enough room for a few seats near the speakers.
John Strohbeen confirmed to me that they were adjusted for a not so large room given the close proximity of the seating despite in fact being on the second floor in a large open two level atrium, and set up at a weird angle with no square wall behinf them in order to sound best from the seating location.
Whew! What a scenario! John Strohbeen mentioned no other vendor had ever taken this area at CAF in prior years.
So this was quite a unique setup to say the least. On the plus side, it gave the OHMs a chance to show what they can do uniquely that few others can and that is deliver a firm soundstage from most any location on the second level of the atrium which they did with spades even from the far side of the atrium listening across.
So the 5015s were adjusted down a good bit so as not to overpower the listeners in the close proximity seats. I did not notice much difference in the bass as set up coming from the subs, but I’m sure they could come in handy in some peoples cases at home if needed. I do not use subs with my OHM 5s but I use a 500w/ch amp with them and also have the bass levels toned down a bit in my ~ 20X30 L shaped listening room.
So the subs might be overkill depending. An option would be to start with 5000 drivers and no subs then add a separate sub or two later if really needed.
As with most things, it depends......
Also worth noting my F5s and 5000s are ported whereas I believe the 5015s with subs and original F cabinets are not.
The OHMs ability to deliver a unique and coherent soundstage from most any location in most any room was prominently on display at the show and that is in fact the thing that steered me back to them for my own challenging larger L shaped listening back in 2008.